Dear Recruits,
First of all, I would like to thank you for your interest in our exceptional Varsity Blues men’s soccer program at the University of Toronto. By researching our university and soccer program, you may be taking the first step toward the best experience of your life!
My name is Luciano Lombardi and I have just completed my fifth and final season as a Varsity Blue. I started the program as a wide-eyed and fresh-faced eighteen-year-old and I feel that I have finished it as a mature, well-rounded, professional individual. I owe it all to my experience at U of T and with the Varsity Blues.
I had the privilege of being part of one of the greatest soccer programs in the history of Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) competition and play at the highest level available to students in Canada. Varsity Blues men’s soccer knows only one thing - success.
The program holds 49 OUA provincial championships and one CIS national championship, produced 38 CIS all-Canadians (since 1979) and many more OUA all-stars. In my five years with the program (2004-2008), we won three OUA silver medals and qualified for three CIS national championships, including winning the CIS silver medal in 2005 at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Within that time, I have also been fortunate enough to experience the amazing athletic facilities offered at U of T. Varsity Centre is a state-of-the-art complex that features FIFA-approved field turf, a seating capacity of 5000, and in the winter, a rain and snow proof dome that allows for full-year training and competition. As of right now, the innovative covered bubble allows U of T athletics to be the only program in Canada that can boast full facility use all year round. That, combined with the new high performance athletic centre that is set to open soon, makes being a Varsity Blue a professional experience.
However, success and top-level competition is not the best part of being a Varsity Blue. That distinction is held by the relationships and life-long friendships that you are sure to develop when playing a Varsity sport. When you become a member of the Varsity Blues men’s soccer team, you become a member of a family. We are a brotherhood that always supports each other both on and off the field. Each individual works hard, makes sacrifices and faces challenges because he knows his teammate is doing the exact same thing, and it is all being done for the team. We never do these things alone, we always do them together as a team.
This mentality stems from the world-class coaching staff that advocates hard work and professionalism at any time. This helps us during the transition from high school to university, from the known to the unknown, because you have an around-the-clock support system that will always be there to help you through thick and thin. Whether it be soccer, social, or academic questions, your coaches and teammates will always do their best to help you find an answer.
As impressive as the Varsity Blues men’s soccer program is, it pales in comparison to the amazing academic opportunities offered at the University of Toronto. U of T is consistently ranked as one of the top academic institutions in North America, and being a part of this university’s student community is a privilege. U of T is a world-class university that offers a number of diverse academic programs including Arts & Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Education and Health, Commerce and Business Programs, Medicine, Law, Education. The university does not need to be marketed or sold to prospective students because its reputation speaks for itself.
At U of T, coaches will always stress that student-athletes are students first and athletes second, and each aspect carries with it great importance. Simply put, a degree from the University of Toronto will always be worth more than an OUA or CIS medal, but why not get all three while you’re at it!
The memories I have from my career at the University of Toronto will always stay with me. Being a U of T student and a Varsity Blue is an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world, and I know my teammates would agree with me - the past five years have been the best of my life. Being a student-athlete helps you become a complete and mature individual that is ready for life after school.
Did we work hard both on and off the field? Yes. Did we make sacrifices? Yes. Did we face and overcome daunting challenges? Yes. Did we test ourselves as people and players? Yes. And was it all worth it? Definitely, YES!
I hope that I have been able to give you a bit of insight into the wonderful world of the University of Toronto and Varsity Blues men’s soccer program, and I wish you all the best with your forthcoming academic and athletic decisions. Hopefully we will see you with us at the Varsity Centre next fall!
Bleeding Varsity Blue,
Luciano Lombardi
